#37: FAREWELL 2017 & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hello, everyone!
I seem to have picked up -- after avoiding it throughout the rest of the holidays -- the cold circulating around the aerial studio. Was getting my pole handstand worth it? I'm going to say yes. It's too cold to go outside anyway, so I hope everyone is snuggled up with the coziest situation of their desires. I used to put a lot of pressure on New Year's Eve, until I realized that we legit had a fraught, stressful night every time we planned to "do something." So began a long tradition of hermit central, sometimes with a few friends at our place or sometimes by our lonesome. But chill. No pressure to stay up late. Eat something yummy, hang out, watch stuff, drink some bubbles (always always) and welcome the new year that way. I'm on deadline too, writing an episode for the new serial (info coming at some point, because it's releasing this year!), and Christopher's editing.
And so that's what we'll be doing this year. Chilling and Netflixing. Plus...we have to stay home and watch the puppy, Sally. Officially the world's cutest.
She has her own youtube channel, because, I don't know, WORLD PEACE may be within her powers. Also I wanted to learn to do videos. I may do some livestream's where we do writing questions while the puppy romps. Everything is better while the puppy romps. (She's already learned how to walk Puck the dog. The border collie is strong with this one.)
And, yes, the other dogs and cat have all acclimated and are getting along really well. This is life now.
(I don't know why this is sideways)
(same here!)
When I think about 2017, I tend to gloss over the good things and remember it as a blur of stress and absorbing headlines. I keep thinking of that old song "Sixteen Tons" with the line, "Another year older and deeper in debt." It's true. This was a roller coaster year financially, mostly because hey, settling into that freelance life. Speaking of which, Christopher is also working from home now, doing freelance editing for various people and working on finishing up his novel and other things. (Send him freelance editing work! He's so meticulous.) And, you know, that new cat we got who needed $$$ of medical care to get her healthy. But at the end of the day, I always say, if all I need to solve my most major problems are more money then I've got it better than the vast majority of humanity.
This was a year of never feeling like I wrote enough or did enough, even though I probably did (and you did too). Whatever the case, it's over now, ye olde 2017. So, onward! I feel certain 2018 will be better, because we've learned a bit how to manage all *this* and because hey, I'm just saying it will and you go along, okay?
And when I actually think about 2017, I had some great moments. A trilogy completed and a series started. An old book returned in a beautiful hardcover edition. Christopher's first short story collection. Meeting Margot Kidder and visiting Metropolis. So many great moments with friends old and new. Some terrifically sad ones too, of course--holding Hemingway for the last time, and, obviously, losing both my grandmothers. But I suppose what sums up the best of 2017 for me is friends and family and moments at the keyboard. Small wonderful moments that make up a good life--doing the daily work, and bringing Stella and Sally into our pack. Continuing to watch Izzy the Dog come out of her shell and settle into her new world. Watching Puck the Dog continue to defy every expectation and welcome the new pets into the household like a boss. Good times and daily laughs with Christopher. Another year older and deeper in debt? Yes. But happy to be *here* and now on the cusp of a new year that I'm excited to see what it brings.
I asked you guys to send me your best things of the year and some of you did! Yay! So let's end on those high notes:
From Atikah Adzhar, a Malaysian 4th year university student studying in Kyoto, Japan (the photos didn't make it through alas!):
It snowed in Jan or Feb, probably because of global warming, and I was also late to class taking this picture but I personally feel this picture was cool enough to make all those things ok for a lil bit.
Me in my national garb, my uni teacher and my friend Tetsuko. It’s his after wedding party and he was told to wear whatever Jetsons getup that was. Japanese people’s weddings are crazy expensive and you have to give them 100, 200 dollars ‘gifts’ probably more depending on closeness etc. What I went to was the after party where I got knocked out a cool SEVENTY DOLLARS but its ok its fine he took us out for dinner weeks later and I got my money’s worth in wine. He’s nice though, so don’t let him know I whinged.
Summer hols and I got to wear this cute yukata! Takagi-san paid for fitting and I even got a special bow!!
This is me and my giant thighs on a horse, yeeeeaaa!! Me and my sis, who is also in Japan but in a different uni, went on a two week horse riding trip across Inner Mongolia. It was our first time on a horse but we went 20 to 60 km a day. SOMEHOW despite being the only non athletic people there, me and my sis managed to not fall down because bodies really were hitting the floor.
This was us relaxing because wow it was so tiring and my skin was sandblasted to hell and we all had horrid tan lines on our faces. The horses are half wild so you really have to tiptoe around them but they’re lovely babies, I love them so much and I miss the freedom riding on a horse like feckin Genghis Khan!!
This is me, my sis and my cousin at Tokyo Disneysea. This is the Agrabah part of it and we were crazy tired but it was great because we were togetherrrr. Also I’m a Disney sluttt. But not half a slut as some of the people there; hell, I didn’t even buy anything then which is saying something for the girl wearing the Minnie hat she bought years ago but could never wear outside of theme parks. By the way, in between the summer hols in China and this Disneysea visit, I won a scholarship from my school wherein I get to do a 2 year bachelors degree at Amherst College starting next autumn! But this is all assuming if I, a woman with a Muslim name from a Muslim majority country, can get a US students visa. But my country’s despotic, corrupted PM is golf buddies with your, uh, Prime Minister equivalent, so…maybe two horrid things can cancel each other out? Here’s hoping.
Yayy!! Four days ago I submitted my bachelor’s thesis!! I foolishly decided to write it in Japanese so I had my pride and ego shredded by the many, many corrections by many well-meaning but HURTFUL people. I also wrecked my sleeping schedule but I do that for fun, too, so. Anyhow, it’s great and I’ll probably be able to graduate next March so yayyy!!!
This is me and my sis, looking cute as hell, at Tokyo Disneyland, literally the day after submitting my stuff. The place has lost some of the magic since the first time I went there 6 years ago but nevertheless I enjoyed it, and I’m enjoying the freedom I have now, albeit laced with uncertainty and anxiousness, but that’s part and parcel of moving on!
This sounds like an awesome year to me and HOORAY for your thesis!
From the wonderful Christina:
Two best things for me this year: finally doing something about my health (joined WeightWatchers and lost 13 pounds so far and am no longer pre-diabetic; I'm no good at joining exercise classes, I admire your dedication in that respect, but I do go on mostly-weekly 3-mile hikes in the woods), and getting to reunite with a friend I hadn't seen in over 20 years, when she moved back to Ohio from Florida. She's still a four-hour drive away but at least she's in the same state now! Funny how hard it is to keep in touch even in today's tech world; nothing beats a visit in person and I had a great three day vacation at her new place.
Hey, congrats! This sounds like a fab year.
From the one and only Kelly Fineman:
One good thing that happened this year is that I finally started my online arts business, selling my work. And some pieces have sold, even. It's ben a few years in the making, and I finally decided to leap. Yay, leaping! And my younger daughter graduated college this spring and joined the Peace Corps this fall - she's over in Lesotho, Africa, helping to make the world a better place.
Excellent, excellent! Rock on, Kelly.
From the ass-kicking kick-ass Tristina Wright (whose book you should get!):
The best thing that happened to me this year? Publishing my first novel. I've wanted to be published - to see my name on a book cover in a bookstore - since I was twelve years old. And now, 25 years later, it's come true. It was a long, hard road, and I know I still have a long, hard road ahead of me to make this an actual career, but that moment is one I'll cherish the rest of my life.
I enjoyed this book so, so much. And yay.
From the delightful Kaelyn:
Senior year of high school has simultaneously been amazing and stressful. But for 2017 as a whole, my best moments were kissing my girlfriend for the first time, getting accepted to a close-to-a-dream college, landing an internship with a local literary agent, and beginning to convert to Judaism. Getting your email letters has been a huuuuuge highlight of the year, too :) The best part of the year, though, was the moment I realized I've settled into my own skin.
I don't know about you guys, but I can't imagine a happier message to end on. I wish you all the best the new year has to offer. Let us all attack life with the gusto of Sally.
With love,
Gwenda